


Thinking about you

by FantasyMythos



Category: RWBY
Genre: Canon Divergence, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-07-17 21:41:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16104374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasyMythos/pseuds/FantasyMythos
Summary: The fall of Beacon was months ago and Mistral is the new center of attention for both, our protagonists and villains. Yang goes there to search for her sister. Blake to stop the plans of the White Fang. But both girls can't get the other out of their head.





	1. Second dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a story I came up with some time after Volume 4. It's not finished yet but I have the key points worked out. I post the chapters that I have regularly but there is no saying when I finish the others.  
> This story doesn't follow canon after volume 4.

_It was shortly after the bell rang the twelfth time that Blake turned to Sun. "It was a fun night, Sun, but I think I better head back to the dorm."_

_"What? Already?" The monkey faunus was surprised by her sudden declaration._

_"Yes. Sorry, Sun."_

_"It's no problem. I'm just surprised." He said, more mellow than before. Disappointed?_

_"Good Night." Blake said and made her way through the other students to the door._

_He looked after her for a moment. "Yeah. Good Night, Blake." He murmured._

_Blake felt a bit bad for leaving him like this. She enjoyed the night and his company but it became a little much for her. Something about him just was a little suffocating over time._

_She barely got a few meters away from the building when she heard a voice call for her. "Blake! Wait up!"_

_The noirette turned around and saw her blond partner ran to her._

_"You're leaving already? The party is far from over." The brawler stated, gesturing to the still lively building. She looked a little disappointed, which surprised the faunus. After the dance the blonde hadn't made any attempt to spend more time with her._

_"I know, but I'm still a little exhausted from last week. I could catch some sleep yesterday but I'm not fully back on my feet yet. All that dancing was tiring." She explained._

_The last week ended just minutes ago and Blake had barely slept, too obsessed with her search for Torchwick and the White Fang._

_"Right. It's just, you looked much better this evening so I assumed everything was alright. I should've thought of that." Yang started walking. "Come on. Let's get you back."_

_Blake stared at her cheerful partner for a moment. "You're coming with me?" She asked surprised._

_The blond turned back around. "Yes. You don't want me too?" Yang looked a little surprised that Blake would ask that._

_"I don't mind but I thought you wanted to stay longer." The cat faunus started walking and as soon as she reached her partner they continued on side by side._

_"It's not like the party was that great anyway. And it would be a catastrophe if you would collapse from overexertion on your way back. Someone has to keep an eye on you." Yang joked with a wink._

_The noirette rolled her eyes. "I'm fine. And it's not like the way back is that long."_

_"Still, better safe than sorry. And I wanted to make sure you enjoyed your time at the dance."_

_"I did. You're a better dancer than I thought, Xiao Long."_

_"Why, thank you. You're not so bad either." The taller girl paused for a moment. "How were things with Sun going?"_

_"Sun?" Blake thought for a moment. "He can dance, though he stepped on my feet twice. But he is funny company."_

_"But I'm sure he's not as puntastic as I." The blond pointed at herself proudly._

_Blake rolled her eyes at her partner but a small smile played on her lips. Though not really funny, the faunus was quite found of Yang's puny nature. Her happy and carefree behavior was one of the things she liked about her._

_"So, you're happy you came today?" The blond brawler asked smiling. It wasn't one of her usual bright smiles. It was soft and somewhat untypical for her. There was something in these lilac eyes that the cat faunus couldn't place._

_"I am. Thanks for making me come." The noirette returned the smile._

_"I'm always there if you need someone to talk some sense back into you." Yang's usual bright smile was back._

_"I hope it won't be necessary."_

_They silently continued on for a few minutes before the brawler went a little ahead of her partner. She turned around and walked backwards looking in amber eyes._

_"You know, I had really fun dancing with you. I would've asked for a second but some monkey boy couldn't get enough of you." She scoffed playfully. "Such a selfish guy."_

_"Then maybe you should have just come and ask me. I think I could've made it work somehow." Blake still wore a slight smile on her face._

_Lilac eyes widen for a split second. "You would've danced with me again?"_

_"Why shouldn't I? I had fun dancing with you."_

_The blond grinned from ear to ear before her expression fell. "Now I really regret not asking you." She brightened up again. "Maybe I should change that."_

_Blake raised an eyebrow at her._

_"Want to dance with me again?" The blond asked with her trend marked smile._

_"Now? Right here?" The faunus was skeptical for a moment but could barley contain a smirk when she saw her partner's sheepish look._

_Yang scratched her neck sheepishly. She hadn't thought that through. "Hehe. Eh, maybe not here but in our room?" Her face turned hopeful._

_The cat faunus lips twitched upward. "Hmm, why not."_

_The brawler cheered at that._

_"But just one dance." Blake added._

_"You got it!" That didn't seem to deter Yang at all. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"_

_She turned back around and begun walking a little faster._

_The noirette allowed a small smile. It was strange how Yang could make her happy so easily. While just a few minutes ago she was exhausted and wanted nothing more than sleep, she was now looking forward to spend some time alone with her partner back in their dorm before going to bed._

_They walked in silence for some time. The blond had noticed that the cat faunus hadn't tried to match her faster pace and fell back a little to stay by Blake's side._

_"You know" the noirette begun. "I'm surprised you didn't try to spike the punch."_

_The brawler laughed sheepishly at that. "To be honest, I did. But Weiss caught me."_

_Again the black themed girl suppressed her chuckles. "Better Weiss than Goodwitch."_

_She could see from the corner of her eye how Yang stopped suddenly and paled. If Goodwitch had found out she would have not just scolded her but punished her and probably the rest of the team. And then Weiss would rant about how careless and irresponsible she was. It would have been ten times worse that way._

_"Maybe you're right. Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing" The blond admitted._

_"Maybe?"_

_"Okay, you're right."_

_Satisfied with the answer Blake continued their way with a small smile on her lips. "Come on. The sooner we get back the sooner you get your dance."_

_Yang stood a few seconds longer, starring in bewilderment after the faunus before her smile was back on her face and she hurried to catch up with her._

_They reached their room and Blake opened the door, letting them in while rolling her eyes at on of the blonde's puns._

_She barely closed the door behind her when the brawler already had her scroll out, searching through her playlist. After finding a good song she pushed play and turned the volume up a little before throwing her scroll on the next bed._

_"You promised me a dance." She said after turning to her partner, holding her hand out to her._

_Blake was surprised at the blonde's choice of music. But she smiled as she took the offered limb._

_They swayed to the music in a slow dance. Yang wore a sincere smile as lilac gazed softly into amber._

_The faunus girl couldn't help but return it while a familiar warmth raised in her chest._

_It was the usual warmth she felt when Yang was with her. Not long after the incident at the docs, Blake felt her chest swell with warmth and affection when being near or even thinking about the blond brawler._

_It was at that moment, slowly dancing with Yang while she looked at Blake in the way she did right now, that the faunus realized what these feelings were._

_Suddenly the room vanished and shortly after, Yang did too. She was alone in the cold darkness. A feeling of dread came over her._

_"Yang!" Blake called after her partner_

_"Yang!" She begun to ran. Searching for her. Searching for anything._

_"Yang!" Her cries got more desperate each time._

_A sudden heat replaced the cold. And it wasn't pleasant._

_With the heat came the fire that suddenly surrounded her. The brawler stood in front of her, her back turned to Blake._

_"YANG!" She shouted, her fear rising. But the blonde didn't hear her. She just stayed there._

_The faunus wanted to run over to her but a movement to her right let her spin around._

_The glowing red markings on the grim mask was the first thing she noticed on the man._

_"Adam." She whispered his name._

_Adam smirked before kicking her to the ground. The pain from the kick and the harsh landing made her groan._

_He was still smirking at the noirette while he held Wilt over her, ready to strike._

_"I will destroy everything you love. Starting with her." He said before his blade pierced through her abdomen._

_Blake screamed in pain. That was what caught the blonde's attention as she spun around her eyes widening before they turned red and her hair caught fire._

_"Get away from her!" She shouted while charging at Adam. The bull faunus just smirked._

_Blake watched in horror as he cut the brawler's arm off._

_She crawled over to Yang with tears obscuring her view. But it was not enough to hide his sadistic expression as he brought Wilt down upon her helpless partner._

Blake shot up in her bed with the blonde's name on her lips. She was sweating and panting heavily.

It was another nightmare. She had them a lot since Beacon's fall.

But this one started so nicely, with these memories from after the dance. That made it even worse. Turning one of her fondest memories into one of her worst.

Blake shuddered. A look on her alarm clock told her it was still in the middle of the night. But trying to get more sleep was senseless. The faunus already knew that.

So Blake got up and made her way outside. She rested her hands on the railing of the porch while gazing at the stars. The constellations in Menagerie were different from these in Vale.

The noirette thought about her former partner. It wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last time she did this. No, she couldn't stop thinking about the blonde. About what happened to her because of Blake. She felt her eyes burn with unshed tears.

No matter what Sun and her parents said, she still felt like she deserved to be left by herself. To suffer for what she did.

But that didn't change the fact that the cat faunus missed the cheerful blonde. She asked herself what Yang was doing. How she was holding up with all the things that happened months ago.

Blake hadn't left Vale right after the fall. She had hide from the White Fang and let her wounds heal. And even after that she stayed and fought against the Grimm. But that was a losing battle. So she left to the only place she could think of. Home.

And here she was. She just recently found her will to fight again. She had decided to take the White Fang back. To stop them before they could do to Haven what they did to Beacon.

But with her decision to fight Blake couldn't help thinking of her old team. Her former partner especially.

She wished to see her again and feared a meeting at the same time. She did not deserve her forgiveness. But she wanted it. Forgiveness and more but Blake didn't dare to hope. She wasn't even sure if she would see the brawler again.

Blake made her way back inside. Back against the headboard she sat on her bed with her knees pulled to her chest and arms slung around her legs, thinking of her dream again. Before it turned into a nightmare. The feline faunus thought back of the night after the dance.

_She realized what she felt for her partner and why she affected her so much._

_Blake got closer to the slightly taller girl and rested her head on her shoulder. Citrus and gunpowder, Yang's usual scent, was now so much stronger. The strange mix had a relaxing effect on the faunus. Just like the brawler's natural warmth._

_Amber eyes closed and Blake barley noticed how Yang stopped the proper steps of their dance to simply sway with her partner._

_"Tired?" The blonde's soothing voice asked next to the noirette's ear._

_"Hmm."_

_Yang chuckled lightly at the clearly tired hum._

_"The song won't continue much longer but if you want, you can go to bed. No reason to fall asleep on me." She assured softly._

_"But you're comfortable. And if I fall asleep, you're there to hold me. You always are."_

_"Of course. And I'll always be."_

_They stayed like this, holding each other close with Blake resting her head on Yang's shoulder, gently swaying, even a little after the song ended._

_"Come on, time to change and go to bed." The brawler said and took a step away from the noirette._

_Blake wasn't happy with that but didn't complain. She took her yukata and made her way to the bathroom. A soft chuckle and a quiet comment followed her._

_"You're so cute when you're tired, Blakey."_

A smile snuck its way onto Blake's lips at the memory. She never thought she could miss her blonde brawler that much. Her heart constricted at the thought of Yang.

Tears started to roll down her cheeks. The raven haired girl thought again about what happened. About how she let her doubts from the past affect her trust for her partner after the incident at the finals. She thought back about Beacon's fall.

And she thought about how much she wanted to see the blond girl again.

Blake pulled her legs closer, burying her face in her arms as she started to wail.

Tomorrow, or better today, she and Sun would board a ship to Anima. From there they would go to the capital of Mistral to stop the White Fang.

Sun's wound hasn't healed completely yet but he was in good enough shape to travel.

Blake's parents wanted to come with them but they had responsibilities here.

The cat faunus was still not keen on taking Sun with her in this fight but Mistral, Haven, was his home. She couldn't stop him from going there. And his team was waiting for him.

And again, the noirette thought of her own team. The tears wouldn't stop flowing.

It felt like she was breaking apart. Why did it have to hurt so much?

Maybe, after this was over, after she was able to close this part of her past, she could find the courage to see her team, her partner, again.


	2. Troubled mind

Bumblebee roared while its rider followed the road, deep in thoughts.

After her fight with Mercury, Qrow had told Yang where she could find her mother. It was months ago and her mother may have moved since, but she had felt like it was worth a try.

The blonde left Kuroyuri just a few hours ago.

The village was in ruins. The buildings were falling apart, the roads more likely to break your neck than provide any form of safe traveling, and plants grew rampant. Traces of a recent fight could be found there too.

The bandit tribe that took shelter near there didn't make anything better.

They had looked funny at her when she said she wanted to speak with Raven. Just shortly after she found out why. Her mother was the leader of the tribe.

The conversation a few hours ago didn't go well. It was basically Raven telling her to leave and Yang demanding answers.

Her mother didn't answer any of her questions. Or at least not in a satisfactory way. She told her there were things she was better off not knowing and that there were other things where it just isn't the time to tell her. She told Yang that this wasn't a place she should be and practically urged her to go to Mistral, after her sister.

Raven lead the tribe and had to keep them safe. She put these thieves and killers before her, her own flesh and blood! Her own daughter!

Just thinking about that woman made the brawler's blood boil with anger.

That wasn't the first time either. The whole last week Yang had tried to get some answers but every time she was told to leave. And now she had had enough. After the last futile attempt Yang decided she wasted enough time there. She had to find Ruby.

What was she doing? Were she and team JN_R alright? Had they reached Haven yet? And had they found something out? Those were all the questions the busty blond asked herself. Of course she didn't just worry about them. She worried about her dad and Weiss too.

The heiress was taken back to Atlas by her father. And Yang knew they weren't on good terms, to put it lightly.

And then there was Blake. Nobody had heard from her after she left. The only thing the brawler knew was that she was injured before she vanished. But where and how she was were unknown to Yang. And she didn't care.

Or at last that's what she told herself.

Already at the beginning of their fist year had the mysterious girl piqued her interest. The blonde wanted to know more about her. And it didn't take Yang long to pick up on the aloof facade she wore. The more she discovered the more she wanted to know about the girl underneath. And the more she learned the more she fell in love with her.

The brawler shook her head. She needed to stop thinking about her. It only brought her pain.

She concentrated back on the road. The sun would soon set and Yang needed to find a place to camp for the night.

An inn would've been preferable over sleeping outside but the busty girl didn't have much of a choice. The next village was too far away.

After the fire burned she settled down for the night. But sleep wouldn't come.

Now that she couldn't concentrate at driving anymore her thoughts wandered back to her former partner.

Where was she? Was she okay? Why did she run?

For the last question the blonde came up with a few possible answers. But she couldn't be sure. Not without Blake actually telling her and therefore they need to see each other again.

The problem was Yang wasn't sure she wanted to see her again. The faunus left her when she needed her the most. She ran without a word. The blonde was still unconscious at that time. So the last image she had of her was being stabbed by that red blade before it was pulled out of her. After that there was only red and hot anger and then pain and darkness.

At that moment Yang had not thought about what she was doing. But one thing she had known for sure. There was nothing she wouldn't have done for Blake.

The thoughts of that night let the brawler shiver. It still gave her nightmares.

No matter how much Yang tied to act normal, she was far from being her old self.

With such dark thoughts it wasn't a surprise that when sleep finally claimed her, nightmares plagued the brawler. She woke up from one of them. But that may be a good thing. The blond girl could hear the howls of a pack Beowolves not too far away.

Perfect. Exactly what she needed now to relieve some of her pent-up anger and frustration.

She readied the left half of Ember Celica and waited. Her dark thoughts, fear, and anger attracted the Grimm. They were coming to her.

Red eyes were the first thing Yang saw followed by the white bone masks with red markings and the black body. Some of the Beowolves had more bones and spikes than others. The girl assumed the biggest was the alpha.

They charged at her. Yang easily avoided the fist attack and punched the creature while firing her weapon. The Grimm sailed trough the air and collided with another.

She blocked the claws of another and changed to being on the offensive.

Yang knew that she shouldn't let her emotions take over in a fight but at the moment she needed to let them out. The creatures of Grimm were her best way to do so.

So she let lose and let hell rain down on them. The brawler punched and kicked not caring when a Grimm managed to land a hit on her.

After the last disintegrated Yang had a few cuts from claws and teeth but was mostly fine.

Now that she was awake and had a little work out she could just continue on her way to Mistral. No use going back to sleep.

She put out the last embers of the fire and stowed the sleeping back away before mounting Bumblebee. It wasn't a long way to the city of Mistral anymore.

But how so often before the blond beauty's mind was wandering while driving. And it kept going back to Blake.

She first saw her in the ballroom where all the new students stayed for their first night at Beacon Academy.

She looked so mysterious but had this sad air around her. To Yang she looked lonely.

That was one of the reasons she went over to talk with her. But the conversation didn't go like planed. Not that Yang really had a plan.

The next time they met was in the Emerald Forest. The blonde had finished one Ursa Minor and was about to take down the next when it suddenly dropped, dead.

Behind it was Blake. The girl with the bow looked at Yang and one corner of her mouth moved upward in a small, lopsided smile. It nearly made the brawlers heart stop.

The black haired girl had a beautiful smile and Yang wanted to see it more. She wanted to make it brighter.

She had been staring at Blake and as soon as she realized it, she said the first thing that came to her mind that wasn't a compliment about the other girl's looks.

_"I could've taken him."_

Soon after the blonde realized she was falling for her former partner. And going by the way the faunus made her feel, she was falling hard.

Back then she didn't know thought. Yang never even suspected her partner could be a faunus. When she found out Blake was once a member of the White Fang she was surprised, shocked even.

The blonde had tried to get to know her partner more but Blake avoided talking about herself and especially her past.

But Yang had noticed the sorrow and regret she carried with her. And she wanted nothing more than to take it from her crush.

At the night the Blake ran from them, Yang was hurt. The faunus had kept such a big secret from them. From her.

The raven haired girl was normally cool and aloof but at the time she showed a passion stronger than the busty girl thought she could.

Blake had a purpose, a goal she was fighting for. It made her just more attractive in the blonde's eyes.

After that incident things should've gone back to normal. And it did, at last for some time. But Blake started to act different. She was worried about what the White Fang was planning and it got worse after they investigated.

It had pained Yang to see the faunus destroy herself with her search for answers. And to stop her she did something she had never done before. She told Blake about her past, her mother. Thought the circumstances weren't what she expected it was good to finely get it off her chest.

They bonded more over the talk they had. And thought Yang mostly wanted for the cat faunus to rest she really wanted her to come to the dance with her.

The busty blonde's trail of thought was cut off when she arrived at the next village. It was still some time until sunset but if she didn't want to sleep outside again she would have to stay.

The inn had barley patrons. There were only two other rooms taken.

Yang decided to eat before heading to her room. Some guys kept glancing at her but luckily nobody came over to talk to her. She wasn't in the mood to deal with them.

Nobody recognize her. The breakdown of the CCTS and the tension between the kingdoms were what worried the people at the moment and it seemed the Vital Tournament was long since forgotten. And Yang was thankful for that.

After the meal she took a shower and lay down on the bed. It was so much more comfortable than the sleeping bag.

It was still early in the evening but Yang was exhausted. She didn't sleep much last night. Or the ones before.

And while she laid there, her thought from earlier that day came back.

_Blake was sleeping when Yang and Weiss left for the dance. The two girls had to be there earlier._

_Yang's job was keeping track of the attendees. Not that she minded. Without her partner here she didn't feel like dancing or doing anything._

_The more time went by the more the blonde's hope sunk. She got Blake to rest and that was a good thing but she had hoped the faunus would come tonight._

_But when the door opened and the girl she just thought of came in, Yang forgot how to breath._

_Her heart skipped two beats before it kick started again to continue working at a far too fast pace._

_Blake was drop dead gorgeous._

_She wore a stunning purple dress and a different bow than usual. She looked so much better now that she was rested. The bags under her eyes were gone and her amber orbs had their normal spark back. She was more than simply beautiful._

_The Yang's chest tightened and her bright smile wavered when she noticed her partner wasn't alone. She held onto Sun's arm._

_Of course she would come with the other faunus. It wasn't like Yang had asked her to come together. She simply asked for a dance. Not more. How stupid of her._

_Blake let go of the boy's arm and went over to the brawler._

_"You said you would save me a dance." She looked into lilac eyes and a light blush colored her cheeks. Yang found she was really cute when she was shy._

_"I did. Sooo… Want to dance with me?"_

_It felt like her heart wouldn't stop racing. And it skipped another beat when Blake accepted._

_They went to the dance floor together after Yang asked someone to take over for her for some minutes._

_The brawler pulled the other girl close and begun to lead. It was waltz._

_Even while doing something as simple as dancing, the noirette kept her usual elegance._

_Yang's lilac eyes stayed locked on the beauty in front of her._

_"You look stunning tonight. Not that you normally don't but tonight you're just more so and I better shut up now." Yang felt her face burn from her attempted compliment._

_But it was totally worth it when she heard Blake giggle. It was such a rare sight so Yang savored it every time she could._

_Why couldn't the noirette do that more often? It was such a beautiful sound._

_"What are you smiling about?" Blake asked, a soft note in her monotone voice._

_Yang hadn't even notice the big, goofy smile on her face. The faunus just had that effect on her._

_"Nothing." She said but couldn't suppress her grin. Not that she wanted to._

_While they moved in rhythm with the music Yang felt fully entranced by Blake. Her golden eyes seemed to pull her in and when her gaze shifted down to her lips Yang could barley fight the urge to kiss them. Not for the first time did she realize how screwed she was._

_Sun took over far too soon for the blonde's taste. But maybe it was better before she did something she would regret._

_The brawler went to her other teammates who had watched them._

_The ninja looked over to the three girls and sent them one of her small smiles._

_"I told you she would come." Yang stated proudly._

_"Mission accomplished." Weiss agreed._

_Ruby seemed at a lost. "Soooo, what do we do now?"_

_"Just have fun!" Yang said and left to go back to her task._

_After she finished she made her way up the stairs to look over the dancers. Her eyes stopped on one of the pairs._

_Seeing Sun and Blake enjoying themselves made her chest constrict painfully. It was a distressing and unsettling feeling. Her hands gripped the railing tighter._

_She hated it. She hated the fear, anger, and pain she felt when the monkey boy was close to Blake. It made her feel sick._

_Not that these feelings were reserved for him. She felt like that for anyone who showed that kind of interest in her partner. At the moment that was only Sun._

_There had been another person crushing on the dark haired girl in the earlier months of the school year. But they hadn't tried to make a move on her and given up some time ago._

_But Sun was trying. And it irked Yang even more considering that she liked him. He was a nice guy and fun to hang out with._

_She couldn't even fault him. She was just as taken by the faunus girl._

_It made her just angrier at herself for not being able to suppress her jealousy. She and Blake weren't together. She had no right to feel that way._

_And the noirette had never showed that kind of interest in him except for an occasional blush. Yang could get them out of her too if she wanted. She actually did it often with her teasing._

_But at the moment her partner was laughing, outright laughing, at something the monkey boy said. The ninja did that so seldom Yang could count the times on her hands. It made her jealousy boil that the male blonde could do that so easily._

_That's why Yang was happy when she got distracted from first her sister and then from Jaune in a dress and JNPR's dance performance._

_Yang kept to herself, watching her partner have fun with Sun and the others._

_But just shortly after midnight the night took a better turn for the blonde when she saw her partner leave._

_Yang followed her outside before calling after her._

The golden girl remembered the rest of the night fondly. It had been just the two of them after that.

While Blake seemed exhausted at first her mood had improved shortly after they left. When they danced at the dorm room the noirette stayed closer to her than at their first dance.

When Blake grew tired again, it was one of the most adorable things she had witnessed. The feeling of her resting against Yang was incredible. She was surprised the cat faunus hadn't noticed her accelerated heartbeat.

The good feelings that memory brought didn't last long. Pain took over and made the brawler's heart clench.

Blake wasn't here anymore. She had left them. Had left her and that hurt more than seeing the faunus with Sun.

The raven haired girl didn't matter. Yang had decided she didn't care anymore. So why couldn't she stop thinking about Blake?


	3. Consolation

The departure from Menagerie was tearful. Though they were mostly Blake's and Kali's, Ghira hid his few tears well.

Blake, after a long time since she was last with her parents, now had to leave once again in such short notice. She had feared what they would think of her after she ran away all those years ago but they welcomed her happily. They had missed her dearly and worried for Blake. But now, it was time for her to be leaving again. But this time on much better terms.

Now Blake was on a ship to Anima together with Sun. He was relaxed and happy like always, not letting his injury dim his mood. But the incapability to do anything was taking a toll on the cat faunus.

She needed to do something against the White Fang but from the boat it was impossible. And the traveling gave her time to think. Something she didn't want to do. Her thoughts always returning to Beacon, to Adam, and most of all, to Yang.

That's why Blake was thankful for the monkey boy's company. He did his best to entertain her and keep these gloomy thoughts at bay. But sometimes he became too much and the noirette needed some time for herself.

That's why she stood alone at the railing, looking at the soft waves of the ocean. It was a peaceful sight and helped with the mess that was her mind. Sadly it did only a little.

Blake wished she had some books with her. But she and Sun had decided to travel light. Only taking the necessary with them.

But that gave her one less way to distract her. And her thoughts were again wandering to a certain blonde.

_A nightmare had woken the black haired girl. She had dreamed of Adam and the White Fang again. It happened more frequently than she liked. Why did he have to plague her so much?_

_The faunus had curled herself into a ball under her sheets, a small whimper escaping her lips. Even thought she was away from him he still filled her with fear._

_"Blake?" A soft voice asked, concerned. "Are you awake?"_

The cat faunus turned her head to the source of the voice.

_Blond hair cascaded down from the bed above her, followed by its owner's head. Worried lilac eyes met with Blake's troubled amber ones._

_"You're alright?"_

_The noirette tried to keep her voice as steady as she could. "I'm fine. Did I wake you?"_

_Yang wasn't convinced. "You were tossing around and I think I heard you whimper. Did you have a bad dream?"_

_The raven haired girl thought about denying it. But it was clear Yang already knew the answer._

_"Yes." Was the whispered response._

_Blake saw the blonde head vanish from her view before she heard the sound of her partner landing on the floor. Then Yang was there, lying down next to her._

_The faunus could feel her warmth. It was comforting like always._

_Under normal circumstances she wouldn't consider that but with the comfort her partner gave her and the horrors of her nightmare still fresh Blake curled herself into the blonde's side._

_Her feelings for the golden beauty played a role too._

_"You want to talk about it?" The brawler asked soothingly. Her hand ran up and down the feline faunus' back. It was **really** relaxing._

_Blake shook her head._

_"You know you can talk to me? Whenever you need something you can always come to me. I'll do everything I can to help you. That's what partners are for." The sincerity in the golden beauty's voice surprised her partner. Yang meant every word, she cared for Blake more than she thought possible. It made the faunus' heart swell._

_"Can… Can we stay like this a little longer?" She asked meekly._

_"Of course. As long as you want."_

_They stayed like that for a few minutes. Yang on her back, her hand trailing up and down the noirette's back, with Blake snuggling closely in her side. The girl with amber eyes could feel all the fear leave her body and pleasant warmth fill her._

_After what felt like an eternity the blonde asked "Can I touch your ears?"_

_The question surprised Blake. It was totally out of the blue. She thought about it._

_Yang was her partner, her friend. She trusted her. The blonde was aware of how sensitive she was about her faunus traits._

_The brawler had already given up on an answer when the other girl spoke._

_"Okay." She whispered._

_"Really?" It was like the whole room had lit up with her happiness. "Sorry." Yang said when she felt Blake start from her too loud response. The golden girl looked over to their other two teammates to see if she woke them up._

_She didn't._

_After a short sigh of relief, Yang turned to the girl beside her. Her hand rose to Blake's head but stopped when she felt the raven haired girl tense. The golden girl's smile faded._

_"You don't have to do that, you know. I understand if you don't want to." Yang told her, her voice so soft and soothing, it relaxed the faunus a little._

_"It's okay." Blake said still somewhat tense._

_The brawler combed her hand through the silky black hair. "I would never hurt you, Blake. You know that, right?"_

_"I know. It's just…" She sighed. "I trust you, Yang. So if you really want to…"_

_The bright smile came back. "I'm glad you do." She stopped combing Blake's hair and reached for her cat ears._

_The first contact was feather light and made the furred appendage twitch. The reaction made the blonde smile even more._

_Blake leaned back a little so she could watch her partners face. Yang wore an expression of childlike fascination while she softly caressed the noirette's cat ears, observing the reactions she got from her ministration._

_With the light caress on her ears and her partner's warmth, Blake could barely suppress the purr from rising in her chest. And all her efforts were for naught as soon as the brawler scratched the base of her ears._

_Yang looked down at her face when she heard the unusual sound coming from her partner. Lilac eyes starred in wonderment before a bright smile stretched over her whole face._

_Contrary to the faunus expectations she didn't make a stupid cat pun. She just smiled at the noirette while happily scratching at the base of her ears._

_Blake hadn't felt so content in many years._

And she missed that feeling. She missed Yang's warmth. She missed Yang.

The next morning, when Blake had woken up, she had felt better than she had in a long time. She had cuddled into the warm body beside her before realization had hit her.

Both had fallen asleep in Blake's bed.

The noirette had woken her partner up and more or less kicked her out of her bed. Of course not without a small thank you and a bright red face. Luckily their other teammates were still sleeping back then.

Thought she would never admit it, the faunus had liked waking up next to the fiery blonde. It had felt right.

Yang somehow had the ability to calm her with her presence. To sooth her nerves and relax her. It was something the raven haired girl needed right now.

But Yang wasn't here. She couldn't be there for Blake and the faunus doubted she would ever again. And she didn't deserve it. Not after what happened. Not after Blake left her after she gave an arm for her. Literally.

"You're brooding again." A voice came from next to her.

She hadn't noticed the faunus boy until now.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, too cheerful for Blake's taste.

"Nothing." She didn't say it but Blake was grateful for the distraction.

"We both know that's not true. You can talk to me, you know."

"I'm thinking about what we do when we reach Haven. How we should go against the White Fang."

It wasn't what Blake was thinking about right now but it was one of the things she thought of.

"There isn't much planning we can do before we see how things are. So we'll regroup with the rest of SSSN and gather as much information as we can." He said not at all worried about the whole thing.

Sometimes Blake asked herself if it wasn't just a game for him. If he really cared. Maybe it was just a façade. If that was true, he was a better actor than she thought.

She wasn't happy with getting his friends involved but she knew if she said so, he would just argue again. Just like he did back in Menagerie.

"Don't think too much about it. We can't do anything at the moment. Don't rack your beautiful head about it."

The compliment made her blush a little and he was right but that didn't stop her from worrying.

"You may not want to talk about it but I was thinking… you know… maybe if there were leads pointing at Haven…" His voice was small as he said that. "Maybe your friends will be there too."

"Sun." Her voice took a warning tone.

"I mean, these White Fang guys attacked Beacon and they would want to fight them. And if the bad guys are in Mistral than team RWBY is probably too. What I want to say-"

"Sun!" She cut him off firmly. "I don't want to talk about them!"

The blond looked at her equally worried and serious. "I think you should. It's eating at you, I can see it. You miss them."

"I don't want to see them again. And they wouldn't want to see me either." Blake looked down watching the waves.

"That's bullshit and you know it! Of course they want to have you back! Just as much as you want to be back!" He was getting a little frustrated. Why couldn't she just be honest with how she was feeling?

"I can't!" Blake shouted than merely whispered. "Not after what happened. Not after what I did."

Their outburst drew the attention of the other passengers.

"Blake…" Sun softly said and reached for her but stopped before actually touching the cat faunus.

"Can we not talk about it?" She looked so sad.

This time his voice was firmer. "Blake."

The noirette sighed. He wouldn't let it be. "At least not here?"

He looked around noticing the eyes on them.

"Let's go to your cabin." He agreed.

They went to Blake's cabin and she sat on her bed. Sun stayed in front of her. Somehow the air between them was more awkward now.

"Sooo…" The faunus boy was at a loss. "You really miss them, don't you?"

"Of course I do." She was again only whispering and he could hear a light tremble in her voice. Instantly he sat down next to her. He wanted to hold her but wasn't sure if he should. Blake never was one for much contact.

"I really miss them. They were like family to me. Yang, Ruby, even Weiss. They mean so much to me. That's why I have to stay away. They're better off without me. I only bring them harm. I don't deserve friends like them." Blake was nearly sobbing.

This girl! What was it with her and her self-destroying tendency? How could she think so lowly of herself?

"That's not true. You know them. They would throw themselves into danger even without you. What am I saying? Even more so when you're not around to stop them. At least Yang and Ruby would."

"That's why I have to stay away! They would rush in head first to help me, not knowing what they get themselves into! They would only get hurt!" She was shouting again. But tears were now gathering in her eyes and she sniffed.

Every sniffle and every sob broke his heart. She was suffering so much on the inside. He couldn't hold back anymore. Sun pulled the other faunus against him and held her.

"But you can't do it alone. This is way too much for one person. Friends are there to help each other. Like I said pushing them out is worse than anything the bad guys could do to them." The monkey boy tried his best to sooth her.

Blake pulled away from him. "Is it? Is it worse than nearly dying? Is it worse than losing an arm?" She was panting after raising her voice again.

The boy was stunned for a moment. Tenderly he reached out to her his voice caring and worried. "Blake, what happened that night?"

That question was enough. It pushed her over the edge. She started crying.

Sobs and hiccups interrupted her words. "I'm… a horribly person.… First I didn't… trust her and… started questioning what she was saying… and than… I'm the reason… she lost her arm.… And worst of all… I just abandoned her.… Just lik-"

She cut herself off. Sun didn't need to know about the other blonde's past. Yang trusted her with it and she nearly blurted it out. She really didn't deserve a friend like the sunny brawler.

He took her in his arms again. "What happened to Yang is not your fault. The school was under attack. People got hurt. It's not your fault."

"But it is!" She cried then whispered it again. "It is."

"Why would you say that?"

"I-I…" She attempted to say but broke off for a moment. "I can't. It's still… I'm not ready to talk about it."

"It's okay. It's okay. Take your time. And when you're ready I'm here." He did his best to sooth her.

She continued to cry and sob into his shoulder while he stroked her head.

After she shed all her tears and her sobbing stopped he still held her close. For the first time he got a glimpse of what the fall of Beacon really did to her. How much it had broken her. But he was determined to do his best to help her.

He lifted her head and locked eyes with her amber ones.

"Blake." The blond faunus breathed her name and cupped her cheek. For a moment they just looked into each others eyes. "Everything is going to be fine." Then he leaned in.

Blake's eyes widened when she realized what he was about to do. She hastily turned her face away.

This couldn't be happening. Not now, when she needed a friend more than ever. Not when there was no way of avoiding each other after she shot him down. It was totally and absolutely the wrong moment for that.

Blake wasn't stupid. She knew Sun had a crush on her for as long as they knew each other. But she never saw more in him than a friend. And, of course, there was Yang.

The blond girl that had wormed her way into the feline faunus' heart as if it was nothing. The girl that broke down the walls Blake spent years building. The girl that could calm her with only her presence and at the same time sent her heart into overdrive with a simple touch, a simple look. The girl she had fallen for so deeply and without even realizing until it was too late. The girl that got hurt because of her and was left behind by Blake.

"Blake… I…I'm sorry. I thought… I should've known that…" Sun's slightly panicking voice brought her back to reality.

He sighed. "I'm sorry. That was…inappropriate."

Sun sounded so dejected, so sad. She wanted to comfort him but knew it would only make things worse.

The noirette kept looking at her feet. "No, I'm sorry. I should have said something. I leaded you on and I'm sorry for that."

Sun hastily interjected. She didn't need more things to blame herself for that wasn't her fault. "No! It's not your fault. That was totally out of place and I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry. I… I should better go now."

He stood up and left the cabin before Blake could say anything. Maybe it was better that way. She had no idea how to deal with that situation.

Instead of thinking about that she went over to her luggage and pulled something out.

She got back to her bed and curled on top of it pressing a yellow bracelet to her chest.


	4. After the Fall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should work on my fight scenes but luckily their're not the main part of the story.

_The time it took to heal her wound Blake spent in an abounded warehouse. She sometimes went into the safe zone for food and warmer cloths but otherwise stayed away from others._

_It got colder with each day and there was the risk of Grimm and White Fang members finding her. And Blake didn't have Gambol Shroud. She planned on getting it back._

_As soon as her wound was healed enough, she went to Beacon. It wasn't an easy task. The frozen Dragon attracted Grimm to the school and without weapon it was suicide._

_But maybe that was one of the reasons she went there. Because she thought that whatever happened to her there, she deserved it._

_For the things she did in the White Fang, the danger she put her friends in, and what she did to Yang._

_Not only did the blonde girl get hurt because of her but she also abandoned her in a time of need. She did that even though she know about Yang's mother. She still left her without a word._

_Blake had to stop thinking these things. Her negative thoughts would only attract the Grimm to her._

_The cat faunus stood on one of the buildings, overlooking the school ground. The dining hall was a good distance away and there were lots of Grimm on the way. But she had to get there. This was where she left Gambol Shroud._

_The school grounds smelled after death, burnt flesh and wood._

_She snuck through the hordes of Grimm but not far from her destination she was detected._

_Blake sprinted the last meters to the destroyed building and frantically searched for her sword._

_She found the sheath that served as a cleaver and made a break for it. Spinning around she raised the weapon and cut the creature behind her into two. Blake avoided the incoming claw by rolling to the side._

_She saw the other part of Gambol Shroud. Between it and her were three Beowolves. That would be easy._

_With a shadow clone to distract them, Blake cut one down and kicked of from another to reach the weapon, still in pistol form. She shot one and the last Grimm in the dining hall fell to the sharp blades of the Variant Ballistic Chain Scythe._

_Blake wanted to leave this place as soon as possible but something caught her eye._

_On the ground lay Yang's arm._

_With more than a little reluctance she went over to it and quickly took the right part of Ember Celica off of it. She would clean the weapon later when she had time for it._

_But after finding her friends gauntlet the noirette thought about what else could still be here. Of course there were thoughts about the brawler too, but Blake pushed them aside as soon as they came. It would do her no good to think about her now. All that negative emotions would only draw more Grimm._

_The way to the dorm was short and held only few creatures of Grimm. The faunus charged at one and sliced it with her sheath. She ran to the other and used its head to jump through a window into the second floor. The ninja girl landed in a roll and scanned the area. Clear._

_She made her way to the staircase._

_Above her were two more Grimm. An Ursa and a Creep._

_Blake jumped, gripping the railing of the stairs and pushing off to the next one. She used her clone to go over it and land behind the Grimm, cutting them down before they could do anything. <_/p>

_The stairs until her destination floor were free. She ran up them and cracked open the door to the hallway._

_The faunus peered through the gap. An Ursa was ahead of her. No challenge for the huntress-in-training._

_Blake stopped in front of one of the doors. It was open and she could see in the familiar room._

_This school, this room had been her home just a little over a week ago. Now it looked so empty, so lifeless._

_Weiss didn't sit on the desk to study. Ruby didn't sit beside her, forced to study as well by the heiress. Yang didn't lay on her bed reading magazines while listening to music, looking up to greet Blake with her smile._

_Yang._

_Just the thought of her name was full of longing and pain. The faunus' heart felt so heavy, it nearly physically hurt._

_Blake looked away from her former partner's bed and finally entered the room. She closed the door behind her even thought she know it wouldn't stop the Grimm from coming inside if they wanted to._

_Without much time until the monsters would come to her location the ninja know she had to hurry. Not wasting more time she went to her closet and got out a duffel bag._

_She packed some of her clothes and a few of her favorite books. Her ammunition, weapon-maintaining kit, and first-aid kit was put in there too before she helped herself on Weiss' stock of dust. She wouldn't use it anyway._

_The thought stung a little but she couldn't worry about that now. Blake could hear the Grimm coming._

_She closed the bag and hung it over her shoulder. Time to go._

_Blake opened the window and jumped on the tree Sun hung from that one time when he surprised them. They were about to head out for their mission to collect information about Roman and the White Fang._

_Pushing that thought out of her mind, Blake started climbing down the tree._

_A pack of Beowolves and a Death Stalker were already waiting for her._

_The faunus jumped the down the rest of the tree and over a few Grimm before making a break for it. The Death Stalker alone was dangerous enough but with over a dozen Beowolves she didn't stand a chance in a fight. Her best option was to go back to the safe zone. She had what she came for._

Blake woke up lying on her bed in her cabin, still dressed and Yang's gauntlet pressed against her chest.

She slowly sat up stretching her stiff limbs. For a moment she looked at her former partner's weapon before she stood up and put it away. It would do her no good thinking about her again. It hurt so much.

It was still early morning, the sun hadn't yet raised, and apart from the crew and her nobody was awake yet. The girl used the time to do some morning workout, mostly cardio and weapon training. She needed to stay in shape.

Only hours later when Blake worked up a sweat and was completely exhausted, in the good way, did she stop and take a shower before eating breakfast.

Other passengers were up now too but no sign of Sun. He either wasn't awake yet, he liked to sleep in, or wanted to avoid her after what happened the day before. At this time of day the first was more likely but it didn't rule out the second possibility.

Blake feared their next meeting was going to be awkward.

Only around noon did the monkey boy show up. He was obviously nervous when he greeted her.

"Morning."

"It's not morning anymore." She said, her usual emotionless face back on.

"Pff, trivialities." Sun waved her off before he got timid again. "Ehm, about yesterday… I'm sorry. I-"

Blake cut him off. "Sun, don't worry about it. Let's just forget it happened."

For a moment she thought he would agree but than his expression changed. He looked serious and determined.

"No! I don't want you to forget about it. I don't want to act like nothing happened. I… I l-"

She cut him off again. "Stop! Please. I don't want to talk about it. I already have enough to worry about. Don't make things awkward between us."

"If you haven't notice, things are already awkward. So let me get this off of my chest, ok?" He pleaded. "I like you, Blake. More than just as a friend. I want us to be more than that."

The cat faunus felt pretty uncomfortable in her position. She looked anywhere but the boy before her and shifted awkwardly. Why could never be anything easy?

Blake straightened her back and looked him in the eye. "I'm sorry, Sun, but I don't feel the same. I'm really sorry." She was already in love with Yang.

"I know. You've made that clear yesterday. I just needed to say it." Just because she saw him only as a friend now didn't mean that couldn't change. He wouldn't give up so easily. Not Sun Wukong.

"Yesterday was a really bad moment to do something like that. I…" Blake hesitated. "Can we still be friends? I really need one now."

"Of course we can stay friends!" He nearly shouted. "And you finally admitted to needing one." A smirk grew on his face at her admission.

She knew that for some time now but that didn't change the fact that she didn't want them to get involved in her problems. But Sun was here with her and she wouldn't get ride of him that easily.

"Don't get cocky." She sent him a weak smile. He returned a full one.

After a few minutes of silence Blake asked. "Is that why you followed me?"

"NO! I mean yes but not really… I mean" He took a breath. "It was one of the reasons but what I told you on the way to Menagerie was true. I followed you because I couldn't let you fight the Fang alone."

Blake looked him up. "You weren't there the whole time. What did you do after the fall?"

Even asking that brought the bad memories back. She pushed them aside and listened to his answer.

"After I saw you run of I stayed with the others. Someone had to be there for them and tell them you left." His voice took a sad tone. He still couldn't believe Blake did that.

Blake felt the guilt raise anew at the reminder and she looked down.

"Neptune, Sage, Scarlet, and I helped as much as we could in Vale before we had to head back. After they took the airship back I began searching for you. You didn't make it easy. I was lucky I was at the docks when you went aboard the ship. I just followed after you."

"You were searching for me the whole time? You never thought about giving up?" The faunus girl was surprised to hear that.

"Well, why would I? I couldn't let you be all by yourself." He declared proudly.

Blake sighed. "Really, there is no stopping you."

Sun looked into amber eyes. "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Why did you suddenly decide to take back the White Fang?"

"My dad was once the leader. He put so much effort into it. And so did I even after it became clear they changed their ways. I still believed we could make a difference. I told myself I could help them find the right path again. It was foolish of me to think I could do such a thing alone. After I realized how corrupted they became and I couldn't do anything I left.  
At first I was to denying any change, and then I didn't want to see it. I told myself we were right." Anger walled inside her. "My father tried his best under the name of the White Fang and they sully it with their bloody and criminal doings! I want the White Fang to be known for what they were, what they could be! Not as a bunch of terrorists!"

"That's pretty cool. How are we doing it?" Sun asked enthusiastically.

The ninja suddenly deflated. "That's something I'm still working on. But what ever it is, we have to stop them from attacking Haven."

"Yeah! Let's do it!" The blonde looked around and continued sheepishly. "After we get there."

That brought a small smile on Blake's face. It soon vanished. She had a second goal. One she couldn't tell Sun about.

She wanted to kill Adam Taurus.


	5. A rainy day

The storm outside the inn wasn't letting up. It was dark, despite it being the middle of the day. The rain poured and lightning struck followed by the rolling of thunder. It was no weather to ride a motorcycle in.

It didn't give Yang much of a choice, aside from staying longer than she originally wanted.

So she sat in her inn room, bored out of her mind. She couldn't even go explore the village in that weather.

But she didn't feel like going down and strike conversation with other patrons in the inn. If there even were any.

That left her alone in the room with nothing to do and only her thoughts as company. It was the exact kind of situation she wanted to avoid.

Her thoughts tended to go to places she didn't want them to when she had nothing to take her mind off of them.

The fall of Beacon and what happened that night was one of these. Her former faunus friend was the other. Sadly one would always bring the other with it.

Sometimes even her mother would pop up in her head but that was barely the case.

Most times she thought about what happened with Adam. How she lost her arm. That led her to thinking about how she woke up with uncle Qrow and her father by her side. Ruby was still in coma, Weiss was taken by her father and Blake nowhere to be seen. It was only shortly after that Sun told her how he saw Blake ran away.

The noirette left her. She abandoned her. And that had hurt so much more.

Yang felt her anger rise again. She had cared for her. She had given her arm for her. And how did the faunus react? She ran! She fucking run away from her!

The brawler wanted to punch something. She wanted to scream and destroy. But she couldn't. Not if she didn't want to end in the storm that raged outside like her anger did in her inside.

At the same time she wanted to curl into herself and cry.

Blake left her. The girl she cared for more than anything, had left her.

But Yang couldn't break down.

But why? Why couldn't she cry? Why did she have to stay strong? For her sister? For her father? They weren't here. She was alone. So for whom did she have to stay strong? For herself? She always was the strong one. She was there for her sister when Summer died. She always protected her when she could. Not just Ruby but also her team and friends.

But she wasn't that girl anymore. Not since Adam cut her arm off and Blake abandoned her.

So why hold back the tears? Why not break down like she wanted to? There was no reason anymore. No one who saw her. No one would hear her.

And before Yang knew it tears streamed down her face and sobs wracked her body. The dam was broken and there was no going back anymore. And for the first time she really let all the hurt, all the sadness and pain out.

And after what felt like an eternity of curling on the floor and crying the blonde stopped.

How could she just break down? She was supposed to be the strong one. She worked so hard to get back on her feet. She wouldn't submit to those crushing emotions. Her hands balled, the knuckles on her left turning white. She managed to overcome her depression and now she let it consume her again. That was not acceptable. She couldn't be so weak. The urge to punch something grow again.

She took a deep, calming breath. She needed to control her emotions, especially her anger, better. After a few more deep breaths she was calmed down and her mind started to wander again.

She thought back to her conversations with Raven and what the woman said to her.

_"This is not the place you should be."_

_"Don't you have someone else to find? Someone you need to be there for?"_

_"You have another place to be. You still have an important roll to play. But not here. This is not the right place for you."_

Now that she wasn't so angry anymore Yang could see that Raven wanted to tell her something. It was so obvious. She was just too blind from furry to notice.

What ever happened in Vale, in Beacon, it wasn't over yet.

She had to find her sister and help her track down Cinder. And Mercury, that bastard!

If - No, when she found him she would make him pay for what he did to her.

And when she and Ruby were back together they could look for Weiss too.

Even thought they argued more often than not they were still friends. It would be nice to have her back. And then team RWBY would nearly be complete again.

Then only Blake would be missing.

But did Yang want the team's ninja back? She wasn't so sure about that.

Losing Blake had hurt more than losing her arm. Losing Blake had broken her. And there was no guarantee that she wouldn't leave again.

Yang couldn't go through that again. It would destroy her.

First she had to find Ruby. From there, she'd see how things go.

At the moment, though, she couldn't do anything. She had to wait until the storm was over.

The blond lay on the bed. Maybe she should catch some more sleep? But sleep often brought nightmares, so that was not a good idea. She hadn't had a good night sleep for months. Before everything went to hell. Before the thing with Mercury happened.

The best sleep she had was that one night she spent in Blake's bed, cuddling with her feline friend. That was just before the start of the tournament.

Her former partner had a bad dream and Yang went down to comfort her. She was so surprised to have the normally shy, aloof, and reserved girl cuddle her. For a moment Yang thought her chest would explode from happiness. And the ninja surprised her even more when she allowed her to touch her ears.

Yang wanted to see and touch them as soon as she heard about them. She asked but Blake didn't allow it. Of course she wouldn't be Yang Xiao Long if she didn't at least try.

But Blake didn't just slapped her hands away, she had become really angry at her for that. This violent reaction was so unlike her it totally threw Yang off. After the faunus calmed down she apologized and explained her reaction.

She often got bullied because of her ears. People pulled at them and hurt her. Just hearing the raven haired girl talk about it made Yang angry, but she understood. So she gave up on that. For the time. She hopped that Blake would open up more and trust her enough to let her one day touch the feline appendage.

And she did. That one night the faunus let Yang in more than she did ever before. Not only did she let Yang touch her ears, no, she felt safe and comfortable enough to cuddle with her and purr.

The busty brawler wanted to squeal in delight that night.

Yang could still remember the feeling of the velvet fur. The ears were so soft. The brawler found it fascinating to feel and see them move under her ministration.

And Blake's purr. She didn't even know the girl could do that. Yang had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from making a comment. She knew that the cat faunus would've stopped and pulled away if she did. Instead Yang had showed her happiness in a bright smile.

The content purring and the feeling of the vibration and Blake snuggled against her had lead the blonde into the best sleep she ever had.

The morning was not so nice though. Blake had literally kicked her out of the bed. Yang barely managed to catch the whispered 'thank you'. And the fiery girl could've sworn she saw a blush on Blake's face. But the ninja had turned so fast that she wasn't sure.

Dust, did she miss that girl. How come that even after what she did Yang could still miss her so much. What happened to her decision to not care?

Thinking about it, it wasn't such a surprise. They spent so much time together. They lived together for months.

Yang couldn't help but think back on that time.

_Ruby and Weiss were in Vale shopping. Weiss had said that she needed to get some things and Ruby bugged her until she was allowed to go with her. That left Blake and Yang._

_The dark themed girl sat on her bed, reading. Yang lay on hers and played a game on her scroll but that wasn't entertaining enough anymore. She was bored and had no problem saying so._

_"I'm bored."_

_No response. Blake just continued reading._

_After some minutes the blond groaned again. "I'm booooreeeeed."_

_Still nothing._

_"I'm bo-"_

_"I heard you. Just like the last six times." Blake said in her usual monotone._

_"Then why are you ignoring me?" The blond wined._

_A sigh. "I'm reading."_

_"And I'm bored."_

_"Then do something about it."_

_"Like what?"_

_"How should I know? Go to the gym or something. Isn't that what you usually do?" The noirette started to sound annoyed._

_"Yeah, but the gym is full at this time. You've gotta stand in line to do anything." Yang still used the winy tone._

_Blake only sighed again followed by some minutes of silence before the brawler broke it again._

_"Blaaaake, entertain me."_

_"No."_

_"Why not?"_

_"I'm reading."_

_"You're so boring."_

_She was ignored again._

_Some time later Blake left the room, leaving the brawler alone and bored out of her mind. Why couldn't her partner be more social? Then the blonde would at least have someone to talk to right now. The noirette was an enigma to her. One she really wanted to solve._

_After some more time was wasted in their room, Yang went after Blake. She knew her partner had reserved one of the simulation rooms for herself._

_The raven haired girl was in the simulation room, using its equipment to create an obstacle track. She was already in the middle of it._

_Yang watched her as she made her way through the track. Jumping, ducking, rolling and generally using her agility to make her way through. The simulated Grimm easily fell to her slashes and shots from Gamble Shroud._

_The fiery girl couldn't help but be amazed from her partner's skill. How she gracefully and seemly effortless got through the track. And if the timer was a thing to go by she was about to make a new record._

_But her abilities weren't the only thing Yang admired._

_The ninja wore her tight black pants and formfitting black shirt, bringing out her curves. Her slim waist, strong legs, bigger than thought bosom, and that incredible ass of hers. There was no denying it. Blake Belladonna was absolutely and totally attractive._

_She still wore her bow. She always did. Yang wondered if it had a special meaning to the girl._

I _t was hard to say if Blake noticed her. If she did she didn't show it and just continued, finishing her track in new record time before starting a new, harder one._

_The buxom girl just sat back and watched, finding her eyes often glued to that bellabooty. She liked the name, she would stick with it._

_It wasn't the first time Yang watched Blake train. She did it sometimes. Like the one time she saw the noirette doing pull ups and other exercises after she lost the strength in her arm in her last training session. That time Yang had admired how the muscle in Blake's arms, shoulders, and back had moved under her skin and tight shirt._

_And after Blake had problems keeping up with Ruby in one of their team training sessions she had focused more on cardio and running. But what Yang liked to watch the most were the stretches._

_She learned that Blake sometimes had problems sleeping and when her books couldn't distract her she silently left the room, searching a quiet, isolated place to think. One of those times her partner sneaked out, Yang asked her what was troubling her but the noirette didn't want to talk about it. So the brawler let it be and instead tried to distract her while enjoying spending time with the ninja as best as she could while worrying for her._

_Those moments were the reason why Yang liked to watching the girl fight so much. When Blake fought, she did so with her usual grace, yes, but that was nothing compared the look she wore. While her face stayed mostly emotionless her eyes shine with a light that normally wasn't there. It was like when the ninja fought she could solemnly concentrate on the task at hand and forgot all her worries. The same applied to her full out training. That was the reason Yang liked to watch her train. Seeing that sexy body move was just a bonus._

_After Blake finished her training she came over to Yang._

_"Is watching me so much better than playing one of your games?" She asked._

_"As a matter of fact, it is." The blonde answered with a cheeky smile._

_Blake blushed a little but still rolled her eyes._

_"I don't like being watched. Not like someone else," She pointedly looked Yang in the eye "who don't mind most of Beacon's male and a small part of its female population staring at them like they're a peace of meat."_

_"I don't think it's that bad. You're exaggerating."_

_Blake rolled her eyes again. "Do you pretend to or are you really so oblivious? You're the kind of person that attracts others. It's a lot easier to name the students who haven't looked at you and imagined you naked or in other inappropriate situations."_

_Of course Yang knew that. She wasn't blind. It's just that she didn't care that much about it. At least, not most times. And she did dress to impress. But mostly she used her looks as a weapon._

_"Were you one of them?" Yang wiggled her eyebrows._

_Blake just looked at her blankly. It wasn't even nearly the reaction the blonde had hopped for, much to Yang's displeasure._

_"No, I don't care for such things." Blake turned away and went out of the room._

_Yang expression fell. Blake wasn't interested in her. She didn't care for those kinds of things. The attraction was onesided. Yang hadn't felt that disappointed in some time._

That was months before Blake let Yang comfort her that one night. Even before they found out she was a faunus. But even back then had the blonde felt attracted to Blake.

It was still raining and there was nothing to do. But Yang didn't want to think about Blake anymore. But that memory gave her an idea. So she started to work out in her small room.

Even thought her body was doing something her mind started to wander again. But she didn't want to think about Blake again. Instead she thought about what Ruby was up to in Mistral or how her father was doing alone in Patch. She didn't forget about the Ice Queen either. Even thinking about Raven was a bit better than getting back to Blake.

She wondered what her mother really knew about what was going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I'm being honest I had no idea what to expect or how I wanted Raven's and Yang's meeting to go when I wrote this fic. It's only secondary for the story but it would make it more authentic if I wrote not only about Yang's and Blake's thought's about each other but everything that's going on in their heads. I don't actually feel like I did a good job of doing that in this case.


	6. Reaching Anima

"This place has no airships or bullheads and the possibility of someone driving all the way to Mistral is very small. And I don't think they would take two teens with them. Especially two faunus." Sun commented.

Their ship arrived near noon at the port in a small town in Anima. Since then the faunus friends planned how to continue their journey.

"That means we have to go by foot." It wasn't a question.

"Looks like it." He grumbled.

Even thought he never said so, Blake knew that Sun missed his team. He spent months apart from them. He didn't want to stay longer away from his team than necessary. And they didn't have too much time. The sooner they got to Haven the better.

The two faunus walked through the small village getting their provisions until Sun suddenly stopped. He lightened up instantly.

"I think we got really lucky!" The blonde cheered and pointed at something.

Blake's eyes followed his outstretched hand. A black motorcycle stood in an ally. On it was a sign.

' _For Sale_

_5000 Lien_ '

And a number to call if someone was interested.

It was an older model but in good shape. It wasn't Bumblebee, of course, but still a powerful machine.

"This is exactly what we need right now!" The monkey faunus declared, far too happy.

"I don't know, Sun…"

"It'll probably takes us months to get to Haven by foot. With this we'd be so much faster. And we have the money to buy it. We totally should do that!"

Blake sighed. He was right, as much as she disliked the fact in this particular situation.

"It would be better if we had a car. It's more comfortable and it wouldn't be a problem if the weather gets worse. And it's not as dangerous."

"What are the chances of us finding a car? We're lucky to find this." He argued.

And again he was right. "Okay. We'll do it."

"Awesome!" He cheered but his enthusiasm fell a little. "Eh hehe, you don't actually know how to drive by chance, do you? Because I don't."

Blake nearly facepalmed. Instead she sighed and rolled her eyes. This guy.

"Actually, I do."

"Great! Then let's call this guy. Local calls work, right?" He didn't need an answer. Sun already had his scroll out and dialed the number.

_"Hello?"_

"Yeah, hello. I call because of the bike you're selling."

_"You're interested? Wait a moment, I'm coming down."_ The man on the other end said before hanging up.

Just a few minutes after an older man came up to them. "You want to buy my machine? I've been trying to sell it for some time now, but nobody in this village has much use for it."

He clearly wasn't the best businessman. That made it so much easier for Blake and Sun to bargain.

They got the bike for nearly half the price. Not that Blake was happy to rip off the man, but even though her parents gave them some extra money, they should still be as cheap as possible.

After the man left, Sun turned to her. "So you can drive that thing?"

"If I couldn't I wouldn't have let you by it. But we still need helmets. His didn't fit."

"I think I saw a shop where we could buy them over there." He pointed over his shoulder.

"Then let's go. No need to waste more time." Blake said and went in said direction.

"Where did you learn to drive a motorcycle? And can you drive a car?"

The noirette sighed. Of course he would ask questions. It was Sun. She couldn't expect him to be quiet.

"I can." She only answered his second question.

"Anything else you can drive?"

"About any kind of car and some boats and ships. Noting too big, though. And I can fly bullheads and smaller airships."

He jumped in front of her, making them stop. "That's awesome! Where did you learn all that?"

The cat faunus sighed again. She had hopped he wouldn't ask again. But she knew he would. "In the White Fang."

She continued walking.

Sun knew it was a sensitive subject for her but his curiosity was stronger. So he asked, this time calmer and cautiously. "Why did they teach you all this?"

The noirette suppressed another sigh. "When I was still in the Fang they hadn't nearly as much equipment and recourses as they have now. We had only one bullhead which made it really valuable for us.  
We were on a mission to steal dust and the pilot got shot but we couldn't leave the bullhead there. So someone tried to fly it back. He nearly crashed it and it was decided that I should take over. I wasn't much better but still somehow managed to bring us back. Afterwards they decided to teach some of us to control many different vehicles. The Fang realized it was better if more could do so in case something happened to the driver."

They had reached the store and went inside.

"And you still don't like riding a motorcycle?" Sun asked while trying on some helmets.

"No. Don't expect me to get on such a deathtrap if it isn't necessary. I saw too often how bad it can end."

Blake saw too many faunus die that way on their escapes. Saw and experienced too many injuries caused by the fall or crash of a motorcycle.

After they got their helmets, Blake had a black one with extra space for her ears and Sun a blue one, they went back to the bike.

Even though Blake said she didn't like driving them she wasn't completely honest. While she knew what could happened and had a respect for these machines she couldn't deny the adrenaline rush and the feeling of freedom driving a motorcycle gave her. But only if she was the one in control.

They stored their things in the bags at the side of the motorcycle, which they got at the store too. Blake sat on the bike and started the engine before looking over her shoulder to Sun. "Get on. We still have a long way to go and I want to cover as much ground as we can today."

Sun mounted the bike behind Blake and wrapped his hands around her.

"Sun!" She hissed, barely audible over the noise, and glared at him. "Move your hands down!"

He chuckled sheepishly while moving his hands from barely brushing her bosom to a safer height. No need to risk getting thrown off the bike and left behind. The ninja didn't wait longer before driving off.

They sped along the road until night came. Blake wasn't kidding about covering as much ground as possible. Sun set up camp and Blake took a look around, making sure there were no Grimm nearby and taking care of the few that were.

Then they both sat by the fire and eat. Sun couldn't stand the silence.

"Have you ever been to Mistral before?"

"Yes." But he was clearly the only one who couldn't bear it, if Blake's curt response was anything to go by. It didn't stop him.

"How long ago?"

Blake had been in Mistral often. And each time it had been because of the White Fang.

She was born on Menagerie but even when she was younger she had traveled often. Her father was the leader of the Fang and fought for equality long before he even married. He went to Menagerie with his pregnant wife. But even after Blake was born he wanted to continue fighting. But there was only so much you could do being away from the real problem. And as soon as Blake was old enough Ghira and Kali took her with them. Since then she was always there. If it was in Mistral, Vale or even Atlas, she was present in every rally and every boycott she could. Between them she and her family went back home to Menagerie when they could. That was until her father stepped down and she left them to continue fighting. Blake still regretted the things she shouted at her parents back then.

After that she still went to the three kingdoms but what she did then wasn't as harmless anymore. Not with how things went with the new leader.

Most time was spent in the big cities because the government didn't care much about what happened out in the countryside. Blake even was in Vacuo a few times. But they didn't treat faunus differently from humans so the Fang only went there for special meetings, getting supplies or recruiting.

But the last time Blake was in Mistral had been somewhere before the mission to hijack the train in Vale. It was also before Adam became the leader of the Vale branch. It felt like an eternity had passed since then. So much had changed since. She had changed.

"Over two years, maybe even three." The noirette answered.

"A lot can change in that time. Luckily you have the perfect guide with you!" He proudly pointed with his thumb at himself. "I can show you around when we're there. I know every corner of the city."

"That could be useful." That was the only answer he got. Blake really didn't felt like talking. Instead she looked at the map they got together with the food and other things for the journey. She had done so since they finished putting up camp.

"With how you look at the map I'm surprised you haven't memorized it yet." Sun joked.

"That's the idea." Blake didn't plan on stopping every now and then to look at it. And while the way to the city was pointed out they where so far out in the countryside that they couldn't be sure if the guideposts were still readable or even there.

She had the map memorized some time ago but was making sure she knew every part of it. She was used to it. Learning escape routs, memorizing blueprints of building, the streets and alleys of cities. It had become necessary for her with the White Fang missions.

"Oh, yeah, that makes sense."

"After we make it far enough we can ditch the bike and take the train. That should be much faster and safer." She said.

The boy pouted a little. "But where is the fun with traveling by train? Bikes are so much cooler!"

"That's not the point, Sun." Blake sighed. "We still have some time to make a decision. Get some sleep. I take the first watch."

Though not exactly happy, Sun complied.

Blake sat there looking into the night. She was ready in case of an ambush. Grimm or bandits or even the White Fang, the forests of Mistral weren't safe.

But her mind started to wander.

She did change. Especially in the last one and a half year or so. Since she went to Beacon and meet Weiss and the two sisters. But the most of her changes were because of Yang. Blake became more open and trusting. She wasn't able to let loose like she did in Beacon for years. With the exception of the whole Torchwick and Whit Fang thing Blake had been at peace. At least until everything came crushing down.

Apparently those changes were not enough, though. She still was a coward and ran from her problems. Her trip to Menagerie was proof of that. And even though she was going against the White Fang now she still hadn't the courage to face her old team, her old partner and her own feelings.

But she was getting there. She already changed so much she could change that too. She could stop being a coward and become stronger.

And she would start by facing one of her greatest fears. Adam.

He once meant so much to her. He was always there, supporting her. He taught her many things. But then Adam started to change. He wasn't the caring boy fighting for equality anymore. He slowly but surly became the human hating monster he was now.

Adam started to use her for his plans. To manipulate her while she still believed in him. He used her trust and admiration, and later fear, to make Blake obey him. And she let him. This fact still weighted heavily on her and she still hated herself for letting him do this to herself. After Blake thought she was finally free from him, he came back. And not only in her nightmares. He came and hurt her again.

Her right hand went under her coat and traced the scar there.

Adam knew how to kill. He also knew how to keep someone alive to torture them more. And he went and hurt Blake in the most painful way possible. He hurt the person she loved most. Yang.

And he would pay for that. He would pay for everything he did to her and her friends. Blake would make sure he would never be able to do something like that again. To hurt anyone ever again.

Blake shook herself out of her thoughts, loosening her jaw and her grip on Gamble Shroud, she straightened again, keeping alert in case something happened.


	7. Having your back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm a little late but here is chapter 7.

Yang left the inn and the village the next day. She was closer to Mistral than she realized. Actually she made a detour. In her anger after she left the camp of her mother's tribe, she didn't read the map right and went the wrong way. Otherwise she could've already been in the big city two days ago.

The thought made her anger rise again. It did a lot recently. But Yang always was better in dealing with it than with emotional pain. She used it to not feel the sadness and the hurt. It was easier to beat things than let others see how vulnerable she really was.

But with Blake it had been different. She could tell her friend about her mother and how she nearly got Ruby and herself killed. Yang could show Blake this side of herself. Yes, it was to help the faunus see that she was destroying herself, but still. It was something she never thought possible.

Later, on their mission in Mountain Glenn, she opened up again. Weiss was there too but it was mostly to the noirette. She told Blake how unsure she was about her future.

Strange, how she showed vulnerably to help someone else out of their own insecurity. But when it came to doing so, Yang only did this for her former partner.

The blonde shook her head to clear her mind. She was nearing the city of Mistral. She had to make a plan how she was going to find her sister when she gets there. But Ruby was with Jaune, Ren, Nora and Qrow. She would be fine until Yang reached her. At least she hoped she would.

Yang would start with her search in Haven Academy and after that, the inns close to it. From there she would see how to continue if she couldn't find her. She already had some experience on how to get to the people that could provide you with the right information. Yang just hoped she wouldn't need to.

The brawler stopped her motorcycle. She was on a road along the mountainside. Yang took in the sight before her.

A high mountain, reaching far up into the sky, with a waterfall rushing down one side. It must be big to be visible from her position. Buildings were placed everywhere from the foot to the top of the mountain. One of the buildings at the top must be Haven Academy and one of the tall towers, probably the one vanishing into the clouds, the CCT tower.

Yang started Bumblebee again. Soon she would see her sister and friends again.

She drove down the road at a reckless speed but didn't make it far before she stopped again, except this time to the ruckus of fighting.

After she got off of Bumblebee she made her way into the woods, towards the noise. Two people were fighting a pack of Beowolves. Yang instantly recognized the tall, blond boy and the girl in her red cloak. Jaune and Ruby.

Yang couldn't believe it. It was Ruby! Right in front of her! She did it! She found her! And Ruby was doing okay. She was kicking Grimm ass like always while Jaune had improved a great deal since she last saw him.

The brawler was just about to join the fight when she saw a Beowolf sneak up on her distracted sister. She didn't hesitate.

With one blast of her shotgun-gauntlet and in-arm-gun did she shot herself between the beast and Ruby. The sound brought the attention of the two teens to Yang.

Both stared in disbelieve at the golden girl blocking the attack from the Grimm.

"Yang!?" They both yelled full of surprise and happiness.

Said girl looked over her shoulder and smiled at her sister. "I told you I always got your back, sis."

Then she turned back to her opponent and smashed her prosthesis right into his face. The Grimm dissolved and the three huntsman and huntresses-in-training turned to the rest of them. The fight was over way too soon.

Yang wasn't sure why she was so nervous after the fight ended. Ruby was her sister. She would be happy to see her. Was it because they had barely spoken before Ruby left? Was it because Yang hadn't responded when her sister told her she loved her? Was it because Yang felt guilty for letting her go without her? Or because she couldn't help but feel abandoned again after Ruby left?

What ever it was, it made her feet feel heavy and her heart pound as she turned to face her sister.

They both looked at each other for not longer than a heartbeat before Ruby jumped at the older sibling while shouting her name.

"Yang! Oh my god, Yang! You're here! I missed you so much! Please tell me I'm not dreaming!"

"You're not. I'm really here. I missed you too, sis. I'm glade you're okay. I love you, Ruby." Yang hugged Ruby tightly and buried her smiling face in dark hair that had grown quite a bit.

She took in everything of her sister she could: her smell, her warmth, the familiar feeling of her small body against her own. Oh, how much she had missed her.

But now they were together again.

"I love you too. I'm so glad you're here now."

Both girls had tears in their eyes.

Ruby pulled away. "Yang, your arm."

The blonde flashed her prosthetic arm. "Atlas technology. A present from the General himself."

"That's sooo cooool!" Ruby had stars in her eyes as she eyed the new part of her sister.

The smaller girl grabbed both of Yang's hands and pulled her over to Jaune. "There is so much we have to tell you! So many things happened! And the others will be happy to see you too!"

Ruby's enthusiasm made her smile even more. It had been so long since she had smiled, really smiled. Yang had missed that. She had needed that.

Jaune stood awkwardly at the side while he watched the sisters reunion but after Ruby pulled Yang over to him he went and embraced the other blonde. He too had missed his friend.

"It's good to see you up and about." He told her.

"It's good to see you turned into a good enough fighter to support Ruby like that." Yang smiled at him. "You improved a great deal."

"Heh, thanks." He bashfully rubbed his neck. His social awkwardness hadn't changed at all.

"Jaune and I went down here to train a little. Come, I want to show you where we're staying! It's so cool! Mistral is incredible!" Ruby ranted energetically. Yang was happy to see that not everything had changed.

Jaune made his way back on his own while Yang took Ruby with Bumblebee into the city. It was his idea so that the sisters could spend more time together and Ruby could show Yang the way. There wasn't enough space for a third person on the bike.

Yang had insisted that she could push Bumblebee while they walk together but he had insisted. He wanted to give the sisters some more time to themselves after they were apart for so long.

Mistral was different from Vale. Not only did the buildings look different but the city's whole structure was different. Mostly because it was built on a mountain. The higher you got, the better the place looked. The poor people lived on the foot and the rich on top of the mountain.

After they reached the house and Yang greeted the others, they had dinner together. They laughed at the things team RNJR did on their way here and Yang showed them her new arm. She and Nora even had an arm wrestle match.

After that Qrow and the boy she meet as Oscar came to get them. They all gathered in the launch and told Yang about Ozpin, magic, the maidens, the relics and Salem.

Raven didn't tell Yang about that, just that there were things she better shouldn't get involved in. That she was a fool for trusting Qrow and Ozpin, especially after what the latter did to the Branwen siblings.

"What else did she tell you?" Qrow asked after Yang brought up their ability to turn into birds.

"Not much. Just that it would be better not to get involved and stay away from her and her camp."

"Hm." Was the only response he gave.

"Everyone has a choice. The Branwens chose to accept their powers and the responsibilities that came with them. And later, one of them chose to abandon her duties in favour of her own self-interest. Now, all of you have a choice. If anyone wishes to leave, now is the time. There's no shame or disgrace in abstaining, only in retreat." The old wizard continued his speech.

It was somehow strange to think of him as old while his body was that of a boy younger than Ruby.

After no one objected he spoke again. "Very well then."

Yang stood up.

"Yang?" Her sister asked, confused.

"If Ruby sticks around, then I will too. If there's one thing I know about her, it's that she somehow always knows the right thing to do. And I told you, I always got your back." Yang smiles at her sister. "But, if we're going to help, if we're going to keep risking our lives, no more lies. No more half-truths."

"Understood." Ozpin answered.

Jaune spoke the question they all asked themselves. "So… what now? I mean, what can we do?"

"Mm, that is a difficult question. One that I believe is best answered tomorrow."

"What do you mean?"

"The road ahead is undoubtedly filled with hardships and peril. However, it's been far too long since you have all been together." Ozpin puts his hand on Yang's shoulder. "Please, take tonight, enjoy this moment."

Suddenly his eyes glowed, and Oscar took control over his body. He realized his hand was on Yang's shoulder and, like the shy boy he is, quickly takes it off, suddenly nervous. Yang laughed at him, before hearing a noise from Nora.

"Oooohhh. Raven? Qrow? They're birds! Cracked it!" She realized, a little slow.

Ren shook his head, nearly disbelievingly.

After that, they took Ozpin's advice to rest after this long day with all the new things they, especially Yang, learned and the students went to their rooms. The brawler went with her sister.

"This house is really big. I can't believe we're staying hear. How come we get to live in our own house?"

Ruby chuckled. "I don't know. It either belongs Qrow, I can't believe he never told us about it if it's really his, or someone of his 'friends' allows us to stay here."

"I think it's the first. I mean, who would let a bunch of teens stay alone in their house with a drunk watching over them? Though, it could be Ozpin's too."

"But if it belongs Qrow why did he never tell us. We could've gone here on vacation. That would've been awesome!"

Yang smiled as she watched Ruby jump with her arms stretched over her head and shining eyes.

"It surly would've been. But you know the old man. He likes to keep his secrets." The blonde leaned a little closer to Ruby. "He thinks that makes him look mysterious and helps him with the women."

The younger sister fake gagged. "Gross! And I can't believe something like that works!"

Yang's smile faded. She could somehow understand. After all, she fell for the mysterious aura too. But it never was an act for Blake. The noirette just liked to keep to herself. And she never talked about her past because she didn't like it. Because it wasn't something that you just tell everybody. Even her friends didn't know too much about it. They never asked about details, respecting Blake's wish not to share.

"Yang?"

Ruby's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry, I spaced out for a moment. What is it?"

"We're at your room. Do you want to go to bed or can we talk some more?"

Yang opened the door to her room and stepped aside, gesturing for her sister to enter. "I'm sure there is still more to catch up with."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually planned to let Yang ran into a drunk Qrow but after I saw the Yang character shot I came up with this idea.  
> I also have only one more finished chapter. That means after the next update they'll come out as I finished writing and editing them, which can take some time. I have parts finished but still need the actually write the progress until them. I don't know how many versions of Blake and Yang's talk I have to make/decide on the final one.


	8. Talking with mom

The sisters had talked until way into the night, sharing stories and laugher. It had been a long time since Yang laughed and smiled that much. She had missed her sister and friends so much. But for some reason she still felt hollow on the inside. Like there was still a part missing from her. She had a good idea what the cause of it was. She just wished she knew what to do against it.

Yang was happy to be reunited with Ruby, Jaune, Ren and Nora again. But there was always a part of her that told her that it wasn't wholesome. That something was missing. That _someone_ was missing.

She hated it! She hated that feeling! She had finally reached Ruby! She had most of her friends with her! She had decided to not care anymore! So why couldn't she stop thinking about Blake? Why couldn't she stop imaging what it would be like to have the cat faunus here? To image her sitting in a corner reading a book and having that small, found smile on her face as she watched her friends' antics?

Yang was just torturing herself with it but she couldn't stop. There was always something reminding her of her former partner, something that let her think about Blake. If it's the tray with tea Ren made for them or the full bookshelf in the room or anything else, she never got Blake out of her head.

They never talked about her but that didn't help her straying thoughts.

The next days they spent training and preparing for what was to come. Yang tried her best to act like she used to but she couldn't fool her sister. Ruby knew that she wasn't alright but she didn't know what to do.

But both girls stopped worrying for one evening when Qrow came back with a familiar face in tow.

The girl in her white and blue dress had her hands clasped in front of her. She looked nervous but Ruby didn't wait a second to rush over to her partner and took her in her arms. Blue eyes filled with tears as she returned the embrace. Yang wasn't far behind her sister. She put her arms around both, Ruby and Weiss, and pulled them close to her. They stayed like that for a while.

After they calmed down and their tears were dried the chatting begun. More questions than they could answer right now were thrown into the room. The six students were all too exited and Qrow had to calm them down. They all sat down for dinner and tried their best to fill Weiss in about everything that was going on and she told them how she sneaked out of the villa and came to Mistral in search of her sister, only to find out that Winter went back to Atlas. She was searching for a place to stay when Qrow stumbled into her, drunk, like always. He recognized her and brought her with him.

It was decided they go to the market the next day. They needed more food and could maybe gather some information on how the things stood in the city and about the whereabouts of the huntsmen. It was strange that Qrow couldn't find anyone.

The next morning Yang sat in her room and took Ember Celica apart for cleaning. It was a calming routine that helped her to not think while she waited for her friends to wake up and get ready. It didn't take long for Ruby to join her.

They didn't talk and just enjoyed being close while they took care of their respective weapons. It was something they did since they were small. Even before Ruby got Crescent Rose she would sit down next to Yang and watch as she maintained her shotgun- gauntlets.

Yang was finished and Ruby put her scythe back together when someone knocked at the door.

"Come in." The younger sister called and shortly after Weiss opened the door.

"Everyone is ready, are you two coming?" She asked

"Yip, we're there in a second." Ruby put the last part back into its place and the sisters stood up. Together with Weiss they went downstairs where the remaining members of team RNJR waited.

The group of teenagers hadn't made it far into the city when it started. The people around them started looking at them, some even pointing, as they murmured. At first it was only now and then but it got more and the citizens even started to make room for them.

Over the time it became clear that it wasn't directed at the whole group but only one of them. The people were pointing at Yang while they whispered.

It took some time but they started to understand what was being said and the members of RNJR and Weiss started to share looks while also worryingly glancing at the blonde girl.

Yang just stared forward as she tried her best to ignore the unwanted attention and the insults she could catch now and then.

While she was traveling Anima she never stopped in a bigger town, let alone a city like Mistral. The villagers had other worries like their survival and the Grimm that the incident at the tournament was long since forgotten.

But here, where everyones existence was sure and the people felt save, they still remembered the dismemberment and Mercury's part in Beacon's fall wasn't known to the public.

Ruby slowed down a little to walk next to her sister. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ruby. Don't worry about it." Yang tried to reassure her with a smile but it didn't reach her eyes.

"You sure? We could get back and let the others do the shopping."

"I'm fine. It doesn't matter what some strangers think as long as my friends believe me."

"Of course we do. After all he was only acting like he got injured to help usher the Grimm attack. We know you would never hurt someone without a good reason." Ren spoke up and the others agreed.

Yang gave them a smile but it fell as soon as they turned back around. She was glad that her friends had her back but every insult, every jugging look and hateful glare directed at her still stung. She kept her face neutral but her steps slowed down a bit. Maybe she should've accepted Ruby's offer and went back to the house.

After the six got everything they needed they went back to the house. The whispering had gotten lesser but it was still there and the students had made a silent agreement to go back as soon as possible.

After they left the market Yang stopped. "Go on without me. I come back later." She told her friends.

They looked at each other before Weiss spoke. "Do you want me to come with you?"

The blonde shook her head. "No, I'd like to be alone for a bit."

Weiss shared a look with Ruby. The younger girl nodded and Weiss looked back at Yang. "Okay, see you later."

The group of five left in the direction of the house and Yang watched them leave before she went into another direction. Out of town.

The whole way she tried to ignore the muttering, the pointing and the mostly dirty looks directed at her, it got worse now that she was alone. She ignored the insults thrown at her and just kept going, acting like it didn't hurt.

Yang stopped at a small shop and it was clear that the owner wasn't happy over her visit but money was money and the shop looked like it couldn't afford sending customers away.

Yang was glad when she finally left the city and its residents behind her. She enjoyed the fresh air and the sounds from the nature around her. The trees of the forest shielded her from the afternoon sun as she walked uphill.

She only stopped when her path ended at a cliff and she looked out to the landscape before her. Mountains and valleys covered in greens with a few towns, villages, rivers and rock formations interrupting with dots and lines of different colours.

It wasn't like home and the most important thing, the gravestone, was missing but it had to do.

Yang sat down in the grass and laid the bouquet white roses she purchased earlier in front of her. A sad smile was on her face.

"Hey mom", she started wistfully, "it's been a while. I'm sorry it took so long. I told you last time that I was going to find my mother and I did. I don't know what I expected but it wasn't that. She is the leader of a bandit tribe. Some ruthless criminals she chose over her own family." The smile had vanished from her face and tears gathered in her now red eyes. Her fist clenched in anger. A small breeze brushed her face and brought the smell of roses with it. Probably from the bouquet in front of her but Yang liked to image it was her mom caressing her cheeks, trying to comfort her from where ever she was now.

The brawler still remembered that Summer had also always smelled of roses, just like Ruby does.

"She just sent me away. Raven doesn't want me but I should've known that. If it were different she wouldn't have left in the first place. It still hurts to know for sure, though."

Yang took a deep breath to calm herself. She closed her eyes and took another before opening her lilac eyes again.

"But not everything was bad. I found Ruby. She and the rest from JNPR are fine and so is Qrow. And just yesterday Weiss came to us. Qrow found her in the city. She left her family and Atlas to be free from her father. I'm so proud of her for standing up against him.  
We also talked with Ozpin. He told us some crazy things. The whole thing about Salem, magic, the maidens and the relics sound so fantastic, it's hard to believe. And I have a feeling Ozpin is still keeping things from us. But Ruby and Qrow trust him and I trust them. I'm still going to be careful about him. Raven gave me the advice to not just blindly follow others and start asking questions and I'm going to do that."

Yang looked over the sight before her for a bit and the silence stretched. She thought about how she was going to start what she actually wanted to get off her chest.

"It's nice having my friends back by my side but I… I still feel so lost. Like I'm not myself and I'm not really that person anymore. I lost something that night and it changed me. I never felt so vulnerable before and it isn't because of my missing arm." Tears were back in her eyes and Yang tried to blink them away. The light wind picked up again and pulled at her hair, like an invisible hand was playing with it.

"It's been months and I should be over it but I miss her so much. Every time we're all together I find myself looking over my friends, searching for her. And it hurts every time I can't find her and remember that she left me. She doesn't care for me." The tears ran down her face, one after another, and she sniffed.

"Then why can't I stop caring for her?!" Yang shouted and her eyes flashed red before she started to full out cry.

"I don't want to feel like that anymore, so broken and unwanted. So left alone." She sobbed. "I know the others try their best to be there for me but I still feel so empty without her. I don't know what to do. It hurts so much. Not just did she left but also everyone in Mistral hates me for what happened at the tournament, even thought it was all an act. She said she believes me but what if she thinks so too? What if she thinks I'm a monster? Or maybe she thinks I'm useless as a partner after I lost my arm."

Yang sat there for a moment, letting the wind cares her and the smell of roses calmed her down a bit.

"I miss you so much, mom, and I wish you were here. I need you right now because I feel like I can't move on on my own. Why did you have to leave so soon?" She pulled her legs close and hugged herself. "Why does everyone leave me? What am I doing wrong? What is wrong with me?"

It wasn't until her tears had tried and some more time passed before she spoke again.

"Please keep watching over me, because right now it feels like you're the only one who does."

Yang stood up and made her way back to the house. The sun was setting and the others would start worrying if she didn't come back soon.

While Yang walked back she didn't notice the black bird with red eyes that had watched her the whole time.

After that day Yang spent most of her time in the house or the yard. She was mostly found training or talking to her friends. She tried her best to avoid being alone with her thoughts and be tired enough to fall asleep fast. Everything just to avoid thinking about how the citizens hated her, Raven and most of all Blake and how much pain she was in.

Sometimes she would go out into the wildness to let her frustration out on some Grimm. She just came back from one of those trips when she started to feel her stomach drop. Yang didn't know why but the whole way back she felt uncomfortable, her gut telling her that something wasn't right.

It got worse after she entered the house. "I'm back!" She called like usual but there wasn't anybody greeting her back.

The brawler went trough the empty living room into the hallway when someone came from the dinning room towards her. Her heart clenched when she was meet with yellow eyes.

"Yang." It was the only word she said but it was spoken with so much emotions that the blonde couldn't name them.

She wore a white coat with twin tails over a black crop top and her black boots with golden edgings reached mid tight. She wore black pants, a white belt and a strap over her torso.

Her black hair was like always but the cat ears on top of her head were free of their prison from the bow.

Right in front of Yang stood the one and only Blake Belladonna who looked shyly at her before averting her eyes to the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said, this is the last chapter I have finished so far and it'll take a while until I post the next one.


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